National Geographic Society Interview Questions
& Process

So, there were four interviews in total. It started with a 30-minute phone screener where they asked some basic questions about my background and why I was interested in this specific job and the Society. Then, just a few days later, I had a second interview with the direct supervisor for the role. After that, things went quiet for about two weeks. I was then contacted and informed about a panel interview with three people. Following the panel interview, I waited about a week and was told I was one of the top two candidates. The final step involved meeting with two more people for a final interview. The day after this last interview, I was contacted and informed I was the final candidate and would get an offer after they checked my references. I gave them two references, both supervisors, and they gave me a tentative start date. Then, about 8 days went by with no contact. I sent several emails asking for an update on the official offer, but they went unanswered. Finally, the recruiter I'd been working with called and said that some stakeholders had decided to go in a different direction. They hadn't even contacted my references, who were supervisors I'd worked with for six years. It was a bit of a mess. My thoughts on the process are: 1) Four interviews is a lot of time and effort for applicants, especially those who get close to the end without a guaranteed offer. Some questions were repeated after the first two interviews, so it felt like the process could have been shorter while still covering all the necessary ground. 2) Communication really matters. When a final candidate is asking for updates after days of silence, a quick email reply acknowledging it would be good, even if there's no concrete update. Saying you're working on it and will be in touch is better than silence. Applicants are stressed, and basic courtesy goes a long way. 3) If you have a final candidate but might not proceed, don't tell them they're the final candidate. Just say they're moving to the next stage, like the reference check. Only tell someone they're the final candidate when you're sending the official offer. Otherwise, it feels like your job search is being played with. Everyone I met was nice, but the overall experience was disappointing and makes me hesitant to apply to the Society again.

The interview process was quite disorganized from the beginning. My first call got rescheduled with just an hour's notice, and when it happened, the recruiter was late and unprepared. Her computer wasn't working, and she didn't have my resume or the screening questions ready. Later conversations with staff felt very scripted. The panel interviews were weird because each person just stuck to their own question and didn't really engage with anything else. It felt like they weren't genuinely interested in what I had to say. HR communication was also bad throughout. There were hardly any updates between interviews, and after the third one, I heard nothing back, not even a 'thanks but no thanks.' Honestly, the whole thing made me question how much they value candidates and their hiring process.

I interviewed at National Geographic in Washington D.C. The interview process was lengthy and took a month to complete four rounds. I enjoyed meeting the team, and they seem to have a great company culture. The follow-up process was inferior. After completing four rounds of interviews and coming to their on-site location for the final interview, they ghosted me. Since you had to come on-site for the final interview, I expected to hear back at least. If I didn't get the position, that is okay. Considering I spent time and energy completing all four rounds of the interview process and coming to their site location in person, I believe a status update is not too much to ask for.

This was an entry-level gig at National Geographic Partners, specifically the media/newsroom side. I originally applied for a Visuals Coordinator role, kinda like an EA for the VP of Visuals, but my background was a better fit for the Photo Production Coordinator opening. I heard back about 1.5 weeks after applying online. A Talent Recruiter reached out to schedule a phone screen. Since they were considering me for both roles, she set me up with the Director of Photography first for the photo job. Then, the DP had me chat with the VP of Visuals about the visuals role. After that, the VP had me speak with the Managing Editor of Adventure/Environment and a Senior Photo Specialist. Following that last chat, the Talent Recruiter called with an offer the next morning. So, it was 1 phone screening and 3 separate 30-minute Zoom interviews. The whole thing took about a month, though it could've been quicker if the VP wasn't so swamped. Everyone I talked to was awesome and had this really inspiring outlook for the company. Some folks have been there forever, like 20 years, and even started out in my kind of position and climbed the ladder. Each conversation was about my skills and what I've done, what drives me, how people grow there, what the company needs, and where they're headed. My tip: Definitely look up who you'll be talking to and show you've done your homework. Even for a casual thing, you need to know about them, their career, and what makes them tick. It helps you ask better questions. You might even find a shared passion or career path, and it shows you're really invested. Also, try to connect with the person on a human level – maybe it's easier for women, I dunno – but show you see the person behind the job title. Be real, be honest, but stay professional. And don't stress, they're just people like you, even for us introverts!